[Baltimore Sun] FOX45: Key Bridge collapse impacts Baltimore economy, Andy Harris seeks budget reevaluation
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U.S. Representative Andy Harris is urging Congress to reevaluate the federal budget to prioritize funding for Francis Scott Key Bridge reconstruction.
“Rep. Harris, Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies is “calling on Congress to use billions of dollars in unused electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and EV charging infrastructure in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to offset funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” according to a statement from the representative’s office.
“As one of the heaviest-trafficked bridges in Baltimore, the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge dramatically slowed traffic in and around Baltimore and hurt the local economy,” said Harris.
Back in March, when the container ship Dali hit the bridge, Sean McNally, spokesperson for the American Trucking Association (ATA), told FOX Businesses that the “Key Bridge and Port of Baltimore are critical components of our nation’s infrastructure and supply chain” and the accident “will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region.”
Approximately 4,900 trucks traveled the bridge daily, carrying about $28 billion in goods yearly, per the association.
“While Congress seeks funding for bridge reconstruction costs, we should consider rescinding billions of dollars in unused EV tax credits and EV charging infrastructure and redistributing those funds to cover the Key Bridge reconstruction costs,” added Harris. “While quick replacement is important, in an era of a $35 trillion federal debt and $2 trillion annual federal deficits, we should and can offset the cost by reducing wasteful spending elsewhere in the federal budget.”
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